What Is Environmental Remediation?

Have you ever wondered what happens after an environment is polluted by a disaster such as an oil spill? What if pollutants from a factory or a construction site get into the groundwater supply? Left untreated, a polluted environment could harm both the humans and animals living there. Environmental remediation offers a solution to this serious problem.

What Is Environmental Remediation?
The term “environmental remediation” refers to the process in which an environment is cleaned up after being polluted. Whether treating polluted groundwater or cleaning up contaminated soils, the purpose of environmental remediation is to restore the environment to a healthy condition. Issues such as chemical spills and radiation may leave an area unsafe for humans and animals, but environmental remediation can help to make the area safe and inhabitable once again.

When Is Environmental Remediation Used?
Environmental remediation may be necessary whenever the environment has been significantly impacted or altered by contaminants. The types of contaminants vary, but typically include a type of chemical or radiation.

There are a number of events that can make environmental remediation necessary. An oil spill may impact coastal waters and land, threatening wildlife. A poorly regulated construction project may send chemicals into a waterway. A parking garage without properly directed runoff may send oil into the surrounding land during heavy rainstorms. Any event where chemicals or radiation enters the environment may be cause for environmental remediation and make hazardous waste disposal necessary.

Who Decides When Environmental Remediation Is Needed?
Environmental remediation is a significant and expensive project. The Environmental Protection Agency creates and oversees regulations about environmental remediation in the United States. Law helps to dictate when environmental remediation is necessary, and often testing the soils and water is part of the process in deciding what type of treatment the specific area needs.

Companies specializing in environmental remediation are typically brought in to perform the actual work. Environmental remediation requires extensive knowledge of the local environments and animal habitats, the properties of contaminants such as radiation and chemicals, and the processes used to remove those contaminants. Contaminants can be hazardous, so environmental remediation requires a knowledgeable professional who can keep themselves and local residents safe during the process.

How Is Environmental Remediation Performed?
Environmental remediation involves a number of different treatments and approaches, and the specific treatments used by environmental consulting will depend on each individual situation. The following are some of the more common processes used.

Excavation
A fairly straightforward treatment, excavation refers to simply removing contaminated soil from the area. The contaminated soil is transported to a landfill where it can be safely disposed without threatening local animals or humans.

Soil Washing
Soil washing allows workers to separate contaminants from soil. Soil and the contaminants have different particle sizes, so by washing the soil in a tank of water, gravity causes the soil and the contaminants to settle in different layers. The contaminants can then be removed, and the soil is left cleaner.

Thermal Treatments
Heat plays a significant role in removing contaminants from the environment. Thermal treatments involve exposing the contaminants to high heat to either destroy or separate them from the environment.

Permeable Reactive Barriers
Useful in cleaning contaminated water, permeable reactive barriers are placed into a body of water. The barrier itself includes reactive chemicals which help to neutralize and clean contaminants from the water. As the water moves through the barrier, it is cleaned of contaminants.

Environmental remediation is a complex process which varies according to the specific environmental situation. Without environmental remediation, we could essentially lose significant portions of our environment to pollution and contamination. This process helps to counteract contaminants, leaving the environment restored and healthier.